Preacher
Roe Kapara Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴I could see them smile, doused in gasoline
Offer up their child as they burn and scream

My parents sold me to a preacher
Now I miss my mom and dad
I heard they joined a cult
They say, "Mass suicidal death"
I′m lock inside the church

They say the prophecy's foretold
Strapped to the altar
I′m the sacrifice they owe

They'll chase me through the graveyard
I hear their guns
I hide behind the chapel
They out for blood
They'll call you brother
Then they′ll turn around and chop off your hand
Can′t trust your mother
'Cause your father was a travelling man

Stone written tablets in the basements
Where authored etched their lives
They′ll sell you your forgiveness
If you pay them with your life
An actor in his mansion
Hold a party where they'll meet
Strapped to the table
Let the holy have their feast

They′ll chase me through the graveyard
I hear their guns
I hide behind the chapel
They out for blood
They'll call you brother
Then they′ll turn around and chop off your hand
Can't trust your mother
'Cause your father was a travelling man

They′ll preach salvation
As they tie my limbs and rip out my teeth

They′ll soak their daggers
In the pig's blood as I beg and I plead

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Roe Kapara's "Preacher" are haunting and disturbing, painting a picture of a cult-like environment full of betrayal, sacrifice, and violence. The song tells the story of a young person who was sold to a religious leader by their parents and is now trapped in a church where they fear for their life.

The opening lines, "I could see them smile, doused in gasoline, offer up their child as they burn and scream" sets the tone for what is to follow. The child sacrifice mentioned here refers to a common motif found in certain cults throughout history.

The next line, "My parents sold me to a preacher, now I miss my mom and dad" reveals the singer's past and current predicaments. This line demonstrates the heart-wrenching consequence of blindly following religious leaders without question. The line "They'll preach salvation as they tie my limbs and rip out my teeth" showcases the extreme lengths religious leaders can go to manipulate and control their followers.

Throughout the song, there is a sense of paranoia and fear that builds as the singer tries to escape the church, with the line "They'll chase me through the graveyard, I hear their guns" painting a vivid picture of a high-tension scene.

Line by Line Meaning

I could see them smile, doused in gasoline
I witnessed people grinning while covered in gasoline

Offer up their child as they burn and scream
They sacrificed their child while burning and screaming

My parents sold me to a preacher
My guardians handed me over to a religious leader

Now I miss my mom and dad
Currently, I'm longing for my mother and father

I heard they joined a cult
I'm aware of them becoming members of a sect/group

They say, "Mass suicidal death"
I was told that they're calling for a suicidal death event

I'm lock inside the church
They've confined me in the church

They say the prophecy's foretold
They claim that they've been prophesied about

Strapped to the altar
I'm bound to the church's sacrificial table

I'm the sacrifice they owe
I'm the offering that they're obligated to give

They'll chase me through the graveyard
They'll pursue me while I'm taking refuge in the cemetery

I hear their guns
I can hear the sound of firearm weapons

I hide behind the chapel
I conceal myself at the back of the church

They out for blood
They're on a mission to harm me

They'll call you brother
They may refer to you as kin/family

Then they'll turn around and chop off your hand
They're likely to betray you in the end

Can't trust your mother
You can't depend on your female parent's reliability

'Cause your father was a travelling man
It might be because your male parent was constantly on the move

Stone written tablets in the basements
There are tablet inscriptions in the church's lower level

Where authored etched their lives
Individuals documented their existence in the stone engravings

They'll sell you your forgiveness
They'll make you pay for being pardoned

If you pay them with your life
You'd have to give up your existence if you wish to be forgiven

An actor in his mansion
A performer in his luxurious dwelling

Hold a party where they'll meet
Organizes an event where they'll gather

Strapped to the table
My body is restrained to the furniture

Let the holy have their feast
Allow those who are considered pure to enjoy their banquet

They'll preach salvation
They'll deliver talks about being saved

As they tie my limbs and rip out my teeth
They bind my extremities and extract my teeth

They'll soak their daggers
They'll submerge their knives

In the pig's blood as I beg and I plead
They'll immerse it in swine's blood while I desperately ask for mercy

Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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